Leif Ericson camp for grown-ups draws big interest

We’re not saying there will be songs around the campfire.

But we aren’t saying there won’t be, either.

The Big Vikes Adventure Camp, a sort-of fundraiser and an absolute good time, is a one-day Leif Ericson camp experience for grown-ups, said Kadyn Wittman, director of development for the Sioux Falls Family YMCA.

The idea came about as a way to honor and remember former board member Katie Ashmore, who died earlier this year. “This was a dream of hers,” Wittman said, noting that Ashmore also had attended the camp growing up. “She had this vision of adults reconnecting with the magic and joy that is coming to Leif Ericson.”

The name – Big Vikes – is a nod to Little Vikes, the name given to the youngest class of campers.

“We knew we wanted to be a place where adults could connect with their inner kid for the day, so that’s where Big Vikes came from,” Wittman said.

Leif Ericson is the second-largest day camp in the United States, and it had a record enrollment of 3,800 kids this summer, she said.

The adult camp begins at noon Monday, Nov. 6, and has room for 100 campers. Tickets are $200, and more than half already have been sold. It’s for those age 21 and older.

“This is our first time doing it, and we want to do it really well,” Wittman said. “We are hoping this will be an annual thing, and in the future, it will be on a Saturday in June.”

All ticket proceeds from the camp will go back into Leif Ericson – improvements, expansion and the scholarship program. The Y has secured several sponsorships to cover other costs related to the camp.

The day begins at noon – so grown-ups can do grown-up things, like check their work email or put in a bit of work before the fun begins. Campers can enjoy lunch cooked over the campfire and then choose their own adventure for the rest of the day.

There will be options for archery, the high-ropes course, the rock wall, horseback riding. and arts and crafts. In the evening, Goodroad will perform, adult beverages will be available, and food trucks will serve dinner.

Plus, of course, there will be a s’mores station.

It’s camp, after all.

“It’s an all-day camp extravaganza,” Wittman said.

Camp songs? Maybe. Wittman said more than one person has asked.

“There are adults who went there 30 years ago who still know the songs and still have that connection to it,” Wittman said. “There is a really deep connection people feel to their experience out there.”

She said she sees that every day when campers clamber off the bus.

“Even the Little Vikes – their backpacks are bigger than they are, and they are sprinting to get to their counselor,” Wittman said. “It’s the coolest experience.”

Cool is one word. Magical is another.

Whatever you call it, you can have an opportunity to experience it yourself this November. Click here to learn more.